Panem High
by CarmenCleopatra
Summary: So Peeta and Katniss are at High School, and that's the story. It's fluffy, well the first chapter isn't... But anyway, completey AU. Wahey! Reviews would be lovely, but even a glance would be appreciated .
1. Chapter 1

**So, there's quite a few of these on the interweb, and I thought maybe I could have a go. Although it is AU, I am attempting to keep characters as real as possible. So Katniss has no one (except Gale and Madge) and Peeta is the popular boy.**

**Sorry, no spontaneous singing either. Because that would be stealing someone else's story…**

**So yes, enjoy! I do not own any of the characters nor the story. They all belong to Suzanne Collins, and possibly Lionsgate.**

**MM**

I guess you don't really ever decide to be unpopular in this world.

Watching Glimmer, Marvel, Cato and Clove all laughing at some poor innocent nerd, while pelting each other flirtatiously with pieces of bread, was not how I wanted to spend my lunch break. But I did, as did the rest of the school. The Careers all were brainy, bitchy and beautiful. They all drove expensive cars and wore designer clothes, and the way they dated within the group was almost broaching on incestuous.

But no one dared question it, and in all honesty, it was going to stay that way. So I sat in silence, Madge seated beside me playing with her food, and decided that this was going to be how high school was for me, whether I liked it or not. I didn't even want to join their stupid club anyway. I had my own friends. Madge was always there for me to be sad about my father with, and Gale was there to play computer games, and talk about how we were all oppressed in this world. So I was happy I wasn't sitting at a table throwing food with attractive people.

I looked up at the clock and noticed it was almost the end of lunch. I nudged Madge gently and she suddenly sat up straight, thoughts retracted from whatever world she was in, smiled kindly at me, and went off to her next class. I groaned internally. I hated Thursday afternoons. We had English, then Math and then, worst of all, Art. I could not paint to save my life, apart from a bunny rabbit I drew in kindergarten that mom insisted on pinning up on the fridge. I swear it's still up there, in all its glory. But I still got up, and started ambling toward English, when I felt someone tug my braid.

"Walking to English without saying hello are we Catnip?" I groan exaggeratedly, turning round to face my best friend.

"Yes, Gale, you just aren't cool enough to suit my tastes in friends." Gale feigns anguish at my words, placing his hand over his heart. I roll my eyes and supress a laugh. Just at that moment, the Careers push past us, placing their trays on the conveyor belt and walking off to their classes, calling sentiments of love to each other. I watch them bemused, then look back at Gale, who fakes throwing up.

"God, aren't they horrendous? All this 'I love you!' and 'call you later!' I even think I heard the word 'babe' come from Cato's mouth at lunch today." I shove him and begin walking to class. His legs are far longer than mine, and he quickly catches up. "Hit a nerve Kat?"

"Yes!" I turn on him, taking him by surprise. "Gale you are my best friend, right? So why don't you sit with me at lunch? I watch you with those bimbos and their boyfriends, looking like you're watching paint dry. Why suffer, just to sit with the popular group?" He groans, running his hand through his hair.

"Look, Kat, I really need to get to class…" He begins to walk away from me, so I glare at him. "Don't give me that look. Ok, I know. It's stupid. Just, I've known them for years now. So I feel some sort of…" I give him a look and he rolls his eyes, "fine. That's bull. I'll… I'll talk to you after school, okay?" And he runs, before I can pummel him for being a wimp.

Just as I'm about to walk off to Chemistry, I see him. Peeta Mellark. One of the most popular boys in the school, and said to be one of the nicest. I have never spoken a word to him in my entire life, and yet he gives me butterflies like no boy ever has. His blonde hair and his blue eyes would make any girl week at the knees, and I've seen girls run into doors just to see his smile or hear his laugh. I would expect that behaviour of normal teenagers. And yet my behaviour around him is so unlike 'normal' Katniss that I worry for my sanity.

I begin walking briskly to English, conscious that he is directly behind me, as he is in my English class. Lowering my head, I almost run into the classroom, and take my seat at the front, next to a large, scary looking boy called Thresh. I get on ok with him, but only because his friend's sister, Rue, is best friends with my sister, Primrose. Although he can never remember names, and therefore calls us by numbers. I am number twelve.

"You alright, twelve? You look as if you've seen a ghost." I give a non-committal shrug of the shoulders, and keep my eyes lowered as Peeta and his friends enter the room, taking sudden interest in my English folder. Miss Trinket, our overly excited English teacher, bounds into the room, her hair a pale shade of pink and her clothes matching in sweet tones. I feel like vomiting.

"Good afternoon class! What a lovely afternoon it is today," the whole room is silent, the feeling of utter discontent filling the room, "anyway, I decided, to celebrate the first day of spring, that we would have a new seating plan!" My palms automatically begin to sweat. I dislike most of my English class, and had really only got on well with Thresh because he is as anti-social as I am. Miss Trinket skips around the desks, handing out seating plans like they're invitations. One lands on my desk, and my eyes search for my name.

My desk has stayed the same. But my partner certainly has not.

Thresh looks at me in a slightly sad way, and gets up to sit at his desk on the other side of the room, and Mr Blonde Hair Blue Eyes dumps his stuff beside me.

"Hi," he says, grinning, "I'm Peeta. You're Katniss right?"

Oh dear Lord. I want to die.

**Ok, so I may or may not finish this. It may stay just like this, as a rubbish one shot. But I may add some more. I will end up finishing this. I think. No. Yes. Depends on my exams and my revision blah blah blah blah…**

**Anyway, reviews would be much appreciated. **

**Tah! CC**


	2. Chapter 2

Maybe this is all a horrendous dream and I'm going to wake up.

Now, preferably.

But no, I open my eyes and there he is, beaming from ear to ear, eyes betraying the slight bemusement he would be feeling at my odd behaviour. Those eyes do not comfort the butterflies bouncing around the walls of my stomach, so I avert my stare back to Miss Trinket who is also in high spirits. I have no idea why. She's handed me a death sentence on a slip of paper, and that's nothing to be happy about.

"I thought that the best way for you children to get to know your new desk partner would be a class project!" She almost squeals the end, her excitement taking over her completely. It takes all the energy I have in the world to not groan, but that's not what the reaction from the rest of the class is.

"Come on Miss!" Clove cries out, "how is that fair?" I notice she's sat next to Thresh, and I feel the urge to snigger. Of all the people in the class he would have to sit next to, it had to be small, irritating Clove.

"Well Clove," Miss Trinket is still all sunbeams and rainbows. It makes me want to vomit. "It's both educational and fun, and you may even make a new friend…" she glances at Thresh and grimaces lightly, "or an acquaintance." I roll my eyes. Thresh isn't _that _bad, and anyway, there is some good in him. His best friend is a decent enough guy, and Rue is adorable. But then I realise that this class project means me working with Peeta, who I had secretly vowed to stay away from for the entirety of my high school career. And now we had to work together, possibly visit each other's houses.

"What will the project be on Miss?" Peeta asks, jolting me out of my thoughts and reminding me that he was sitting right next to me. I clench my fists and pray that it isn't something of a romantic nature. I was not the romantic kind.

"Well, I thought you could all do a presentation on the Jane Austen book, 'Pride and Prejudice'." Miss Trinket is back to beaming, and I want to cry again. Of all the Jane Austen books we could be doing, and she picks _that_ one. The only one that could be more romantic would be 'Romeo and Juliet', and even then that is more my type of thing. Tragedy not RomCom. A murmur goes around the class, and I realise that, opinion wise, I am a complete minority. Many of my class actually quite enjoyed the book. I suddenly remember that Peeta had especially enjoyed the book, and often booked the character of Mr Darcy, one of the two more romantic male leads.

"That's awesome Miss!" He says, his smile growing impossibly wider.

Kill me now. Please.

MM

"So, would you like to come round to my house, or should I walk to your place with yours?" Peeta asks, voice light with energy. I look up at him and roll my eyes slightly.

"My house is in The Seam, Peeta. A rich bakers boy does not want to be seen traipsing around that area of town with me." He frowns, a sweet kind of frown that makes his eyes warmer. I try to think of video games to stop myself getting any further with my daydreaming.

"I don't care, you know. I don't care if people see me around there." I laugh, and I realise that it's a cold, heartless laugh that makes me sound evil.

"What will your career friends think?" He smirks slightly, and shakes his head.

"It's a school project Katniss, people will get it. And anyway, if you're that against me going to your house, come round to mine." I try and stop my stupid girl brain from reacting to the fact that Peeta Mellark has just asked me to his house, and just look at him as if he's speaking alien. He doesn't say anything, and for that I am thankful.

"Fine, so I'll follow you home like a crazy stalker person then?" Peeta laughs aloud at this, and I ignore the stares we get and glare at him for attracting attention. He shrugs his shoulder and begins fiddling with a coloured pencil that I've been watching roll around on the table.

"Don't be so demeaning Katniss. I'm not that egotistical," I roll my eyes again at this and he has the decency to laugh. "And anyway, we need to do this project, no matter if it causes you pain or not." I feel like biting back, but then decide against it.

"Fine. I'll walk with you around to yours." He smiles a smile, and I'm sure that it's code for 'finally'. But that may be my lovesick, girly brain making things up. Then I realise something. Peeta can't walk to my house, because my sister lives in my house.

And she knows things.

"Actually, you're right, I think it would be best if we went to yours." I say quickly. He gives me a look of confusion, shrugs his shoulders as a sign of agreement and gets back to work.

This project was going to take forever.

MM

I know that they're waiting for me after English, just around the corner, but I don't really care. So I walk past them, head raised in a dignified manner, and to my locker. But they follow me like a herd of sheep, ignoring the perturbed stares of other pupils as the do so. I suddenly find the photo on my locker of Gale and I incredibly interesting, but Glimmer doesn't seem to care.

"Ah, Katnip Everdork," she says, slamming my locker with such force the entire corridor jumps at the sound. I don't even flinch.

"Glimmer." She glares at me, and I feel myself becoming surrounded. I assess the situation, feeling Clove's angry stare behind me, and try and figure out how best to use my self-defence classes.

"You were getting _awful _friendly with Peeta today." I don't look at her, knowing if I catch eye contact, I'll probably end up being spineless and running away. "You know we're destined for Prom king and queen. I don't want some lonely loser like you destroying our chances of eternal happiness!" I finally look at her, completely gobsmacked.

"Prom king and queen? That's all you care about?" Glimmer obviously wasn't expecting this answer, and she looks slightly surprised. I hear Clove cover a snort while Glimmer's sister, Satin, rolls her eyes next to me.

"Yes, Everdork. I care about Prom. This whole establishment _cares _about Prom. You've either had your head down a hole or you're really just that stupid, but the posters have been up for months now." I still can't quite believe I'm hearing this, and could stop her at any moment with a 'we are just project partners' quip. But I'm curious as to what she has to say next.

"Prom queens are proven happier, more fulfilled people in later life!" Pipes up Satin, who looks to her sister for approval. Glimmer smiles at her, and I feel myself wanting to vomit. I Prim ever became like that, I'd want to scream.

"Well, I'm glad you'll be so much more fulfilled than me," I say, growing tired of the hostile atmosphere, "but we're just project partners. Nothing more." Glimmer looks pleased with this answer, but as she turns away Clove says:

"Promise it won't become anything more."

Oh no.

Glimmer turns back to me, and the look in her eyes is almost animalistic. My gaze quickly averts down so as to keep from running away. I know in my heart of hearts I can't promise that, so I decide to steal Jane Austen.

"You believe Peeta liking me to be impossible right?"

Glimmer looks confused, so I let her tiny brain process the idea. She finally gets it, and nods slowly.

"Then why should I promise not to do anything that is deemed impossible? Surely my promise means nothing." And without another word I turn on my heals and head to Maths, feeling as if I've just begun a nasty war.

**AN: So, yeah, I did update. Thank you thank you thank you so much for all the lovely alerts and reviews. I keep getting these e-mails and they make me feel so lovely. As you can probably see this is going to be rather long. I haven't decided what I might base it on, but it'll probably be a piece of classic literature or a book. So yeah. Thank you so very much.**

**I'm not promising another update anytime soon. I have an exam tomorrow, and I should really be doing revision now. But anyway. My last exam is on the 27th of June. So fingers crossed!**


	3. Chapter 3

I am so very, very sorry about not updating this for *looks at the update date and squirms* a long, long time. This should be a longer chapter, promise :)

MM

"So we have to do this project on a certain aspect of Pride and Prejudice…" I nod, twisting my pencil in my hands, "and you don't know what aspect you want to do?" I look at him over the dining room table.

"Well, I'm not really into the list you've made," I mumble, making him groan. "What? I don't want to be talking about Georgian era flirting for an assignment. I want to do something intelligent." I think for a second about my encounter with Glimmer and her cronies in the corridor, and an idea springs to my mind.

"How about class division, and how your wealth an connections effect the person you would be destined to be with?" I hope he doesn't realize the implications of my idea. Luckily he doesn't seem to, and the signature grin springs to life.

"Katniss that's fantastic!" I ignore the sound of my ego swelling, and smile back. "No one else in the English class will have thought of that! I certainly would not have thought of that." I shrug my shoulders nonchalantly.

"Well, I am a genius." Peeta's smile changes slightly to something I can't exactly decipher. Ignoring the butterflies appearing in my stomach, I open my incredibly tattered copy of Pride and Prejudice, searching for something of relevance. We sit in incredibly awkward silence as Peeta just watches me.

"I'm sorry about Glimmer, she was being a bit overprotective." I'm surprised by the fact he knew what happened, but hurt a little by the fact Glimmer believed she had to be overprotective.

"Well, I don't see why she believed she has to be overprotective if I'm honest," I state matter of factly, trying to mask any girly feelings I may or may not be feeling. Peeta shrugs his shoulders.

"She mentioned something about popularity and status? Whatever that means. Anyway, she is really desperate to become prom queen, and I know she will go to every length to keep her crown safely upon her head." I let out a laugh and then blush. Peeta gives me a look and I grin.

"I'm sorry, it's just so completely pointless. Prom is just a way for those of the centre table to practice their power over us mere mortals of the outer tables. I see no real point in going." Peeta gives me an even stranger look at this point, and I realize I have probably said too much.

"You think we on the centre table really think that?" I can tell I've hurt his feelings, and I try and desperately climb out of the whole I have evidently dug myself.

"Not at all Peeta, not at all! I mean, Gale is my best friend, and you're really not too bad yourself. " I sigh, "I just know, from the confrontation with Glimmer today, that a lot of your group are exclusive to your group, and find any other person at this school to be weird or freaky." Peeta still looks hurt, but seems to accept my explanation, graciously moving on to another topic. My lovesick brain begins to concoct all the horrendous things he may or may not be thinking about me, and in a sickening moment I realize I probably have ruined the single and only chance I had with this boy.

Dammit.

MM

"So how was your evening with Mellark then?" Gale takes me by surprise. I whip around and hit him hard in the stomach, a defensive move my father taught me before he died. Gale doubles over in pain.

"Oh crap! Gale I'm so sorry!" I help him to stand upright, and he groans, winded.

"It's alright Kat, I just need to know when you are not in your self – defense mode." I chuckle lightly as I watch him get his breath back.

"So you're walking to school with me? That is unusual. Often I see you with your other friends in the more popular crowd…"

"Oh don't start that again Kat." I laugh as he hits me lightly around the head, "anyway, I was really curious as to how you got on with Mr Mellark last night." I roll my eyes.

"We worked, Gale. That was it. I don't think he likes me very much anyway." Gale frowns a bit.

"Why not? Peeta often gets on really well with people." I must look sheepish, because Gale gives me a look, "Katniss. What did you do to Peeta?" I shrug my shoulders as I begin walking again.

"It wasn't what I did, it's really what I said…"

"You ranted at him?" I place my hands up in defense.

"Hey! Hey! Glimmer confronted me yesterday about working with him. Basically said that I couldn't because she was going with him to prom and didn't want me getting any ideas. She gave him some bull about confronting me due to 'overprotectiveness'. I called it bitchiness from sitting at the centre table." Gale groaned at me and I glared back at him.

"And he took offence, didn't he?" My silence is enough answer for him, "Kat you sometimes have to hold your tongue." To spite him I do for the rest of the journey, not even saying goodbye as we make our way to different classes. How dare he ask me to hold my tongue! I had the absolute right to say everything I did to Peeta. It may not have been tactful, but it was honest. And I _always _try to be honest.

The day goes by fast. Faster than I expect it to, and before I know it, it's last period English, which I have been dreading all day having avoided Peeta all day. But as I sit down, he smiles at me, and all the dread and nervousness I have been feeling at seeing him slips away. Stupid crushing brain.

"Hey."

"Hi."

"I told Miss Trinket our project title, she said it was awesome!" I feel a sense of pride. I'm often not told that something I've done is 'awesome'. Peeta grins at me, and I try and give a smile back. Maybe this partnership isn't going to be so bad after all.

**God, that chapter is not what I'd hope it would be. But I am tired and sick. Thank you all so very much for the follows, and the favourites and the reviews. Makes my day every time I swear to god. Anywho… I'm not promising any update date, it'll just be when the writers block disappears.**

**Ta! CC xx**


	4. Chapter 4

**Decided to be awesome and update. Because. I'm awesome.**

**Thank you all for the absolutely AMAZING reviews. They are mainly the reason I am updating… **

MM

Avoiding Glimmer and her 'friends' is like trying to avoid the plague.

The whole school is against you, basically, as how dare you even think of talking to the potential Prom Queen's possible, on again off again, boyfriend. I didn't even know they were on at all, let alone on again off again. Luckily, Madge didn't seem to care (or notice) that the vibes coming at me at lunch had gone from ignorant to icy. We sit in silence, like we normally do, when Madge drops her sandwich, mouth wide open.

"Hey Katniss, mind if I join you?" Peeta?

I am shocked beyond coherence. Peeta wants to sit with me at lunch. This is against all nature, all normality. I actually have to stop myself from asking him if he's completely lost his mind.

"Shall I leave you two?" Madge asks in a quiet voice, and Peeta smiles kindly at her.

"Don't be silly Madge. I don't want to feel like I'm intruding. This is your lunch table after all." Madge smiles sweetly, the first smile I think I have ever seen her give to anyone at all, apart from me. She picks her sandwich up and begins eating again, back in her own little world.

"What are you doing?" I say, my voice sounding slightly strangled, "are you trying to prove a point or something?" Peeta laughs, and I feel the butterflies in my stomach begin to stir.

"Not at all. Well, maybe slightly," I roll my eyes and he grins, "I'm just trying to prove to you that not all of us are like Glimmer and Gale, and that I choose to sit where I want based mainly on who I want to talk to." I can't stop myself from chuckling; feeling a pang at guilt due to the fact the joke was at Gale's expense. Madge finishes quickly and quietly, leaving us alone, and I subconsciously tell myself to thank her later.

"You don't want to talk just about the stupid project do you?" I say, taking a bite of my pasta.

"No, not really," Peeta says, looking slightly fascinated, "I wanted to get to know you better. I also thought maybe you'd like to get to know me?" I feel slightly self-conscious, and put my fork down.

"What's with the staring Mellark? Never seen a girl eating before?" I joke, and he laughs like a kind person would, shaking his head.

"Now that I think about it, I haven't." I scoff, and he chuckles again, "no, I'm serious. Glimmer prefers not to eat in front guys, so none of her friends do…" I give him a look, and he looks back defensively. "Oh come on Katniss, isn't it normal for girls not to want to eat in front of guys?"

"No, Peeta, it isn't." I say, trying not to sound too angry, "Glimmer is just trying not to look like a pig in front of the guy she likes. And her friends are just being sheep. When did you even begin to think it was normal?" Peeta looks flabbergasted.

"I don't know…" he seems to realize what I have said through my anger, and looks even more confused, "and who does Glimmer like? She's not overtly flirty with any of the guys in the group…" realization seems to dawn on him. "Oh. Right."

"Yeah," I say quietly, "right." I try to leave the table, but Peeta gabs my wrist. I try to cover the fact that he's touching me to the popular table by shifting my body, and he notices.

"What's wrong Katniss? Have I done something to upset you?" I debate whether or not to tell him, and decide it would be kinder to give him a reason as to why I may avoid him at random times during the day.

"Glimmer likes you," I state, "really, really likes you. She sees me as an obstacle to overcome, and therefore somehow the rest of the school must also hate me. I have been ignored, and rumors have been spread and my anonymity in this place has disappeared, because I was put on an English project with you." I realize I must sound angry, and I try to look more sad than enraged. "I don't hate you Peeta, I hate what your popularity has inadvertently done to me and my happiness." And without another word, I leave.

MM

I try and forget Peeta's shocked look as I left at lunch, but for some reason my brain wouldn't let me. It also wasn't helped by the fact the new rumor about me had started thanks to him sitting with me. I believe it was something about the fact that I was a lesbian, as no sane straight girl would eat in front of a guy. I ignored it, as I have no problem with being called gay.

But then something happens that is so completely weird and unusual that I, along with the rest of the school faculty, begin to question my sanity. For the second time that day.

I walk along the corridor to my locker to collect my stuff to go home, when I hear Glimmer's voice, high and squeaky above everyone else's.

"But Peeta! We were going to be Prom royalty!" I realize straight away what has happened, but I dare not tempt fate by following the crowd to watch the argument that has now become very public.

"I don't want to associate myself with a person who spreads rumors about others, just to get what she wants." I hear Peeta reply, and I want to die. This was going to get so much worse for me.

"You know I didn't spread those rumors Peeta, surely." I roll my eyes at how insipid Glimmer's voice seems to have become. The corridor has become completely quiet, everyone attempting to listen in on Peeta and Glimmer's argument.

"Someone near you did, because those rumors about Katniss didn't start until she had become my English project partner. You said your confrontation with her was completely free from threats and insults, but I've heard from onlookers that that wasn't the case." I see Glimmer's good girl face begin to crack, but she keeps acting as best she can. I also notice people glancing towards me, but decide to ignore it.

"Peeta, we are perfect for each other. She was just being a bitch and getting in the way. According to Clove, Katniss actually requested you to be her partner. I think she only did that because she likes you and wanted to get in between us!" There's a murmur throughout the crowd, who, like me, have realized that although Glimmer is looking pleased with herself, Clover, who has been flanking her, has gone a deep red. Peeta also realizes it.

"Clove? Is that true?" I hear a couple of people in front of me snigger, as Clove begins to stammer her way out of the hole she has dug herself. I hear Glimmer screech, humiliated that her one attack mechanism has failed miserably.

"You know what Peeta? I don't care. There are millions of boys in this dump who would _pay _to date me, and I think it's your loss that you don't," I see Peeta in the distance, nodding his head slowly, "and I don't need you to be Prom Queen. You're not even that attractive." Glimmer storms off, and the hall falls into an awkward silence. I pray Peeta doesn't see me as I walk off home, knowing in the back of my mind that I have caused something big and ugly.

**There we go. Pretty pleased with that chapter actually. Didn't want to leave Peeta clueless forever, if you see what I mean, and I like writing fight scenes, especially when it involves a stupid person. So I will attempt to update soonish, but exam results are out in a week, so I may be too stressed to even think about fanfiction, which would be a first.**

**Again, thank you so much for the reviews. It's lovely to know my stories are appreciated.**

**Much love**

**CC x**


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